A massive volume of projects, essays, architectural theology, and the plain bizarre from the minds of OMA, assembled by Rem Koolhaas and Bruce Mau. S,M,L,XL is an architectural adventure of a read and I feel privileged to have it sitting open on my desk.

The other day I caught Alan Yentob‘s profile on Iraqi-born Zaha Hadid and the work of here practice and her development from a young student at London’sArchitecture Association. I thoroughly advise anyone who’s interested in the more artistic and sculptural interpretations of architecture to visit the BBC iPlayer and watch this show: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b037yx1l/imagine…_Summer_2013_Zaha_Hadid_Who_Dares_Wins/

Zaha Hadid and Alan Yentob in his profile of one of the world’s most famous female architects.

Who would have known there were so many horrible beasties out there trying to kill us peely-wally Scots? Had to get Hep A and Typhoid, Hep B (the first of a three course treatment ending in january), and MMR. The nurse was very patient in explaining just how close you are to all the ‘hot zones’ when you travel the Inca Trail, i.e you’re extremely close to all the red lines on the map showing where all the high risk disease areas are. Luckily the altitude of the trek protects you from most things. But God help those who travel East of the Andes and into the Amazon! A microbial death trap awaits those who don’t fork out for injections months in advance!

The jabs only cost me £90 which came as a pleasant surprise (having expected it would cost a lot more), though now my arms feel like lead weights with all this vaccine in me.

I also went shopping for some of the things on my kit list. Spent over £200 but only came home with socks and some odds and ends that weren’t even on the list! Got my rucksack ordered up to try on and get fitted next week (I thoroughly recommend adventurers visit Cotswold for their gear, staff were helpful and told me which stuff wasn’t worth looking at).

Well there’s only 20 days until I jet-set off to South America! It feels like the last 9 or 10 months, since I first joined the trek, have just flown by. I can’t wait to touch down in Cusco and get started! 😀

Today I booked myself in to get my injections for Peru (can’t wait for that to be over with) and got my kit list ready to go shopping on Wednesday. My bank account wont thank me but it’ll make it all the more exciting to see everything packed up and ready to rock!

However, I must admit, I’ve done very little training for what I’m repeatedly told will be an arduous journey! Atleast my boots are broken in…